Cleaning head

Abstract

A cleaning head, such as a floor tool, for a cleaning appliance has a housing with a floor engaging face and an outlet for fitting to a wand of the cleaning appliance which includes a linkage for coupling the housing to the wand. The linkage is movable between an operative position, in which the outlet extends parallel to or at a positive angle with respect to the floor engaging face of the cleaning head, and a storage position in which the outlet extends at a negative angel with respect to the floor engaging face of the cleaning head. The linkage may alternatively take the form of a barrel joint. The cleaning head can be used with a cleaning appliance in which the wand is retained alongside the main body. In the storage position, the cleaning appliance.

1 . A cleaning head for a cleaning appliance comprising a housing having a floor engaging face, a rolling structure allowing the housing to travel across a floor surface, and an outlet for fitting to a wand of the cleaning appliance, the outlet comprising a linkage for coupling the housing to the wand, 
 wherein the linkage is configured so that the outlet is movable between an operative position, in which the outlet extends parallel to or at a positive angle with respect the floor engaging face of the cleaning head, and a storage position in which the outlet extends at a negative angle with respect to the floor engaging face of the cleaning head.    
     
     
         2 . A cleaning head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a manually operable release mechanism and wherein the linkage is configured so that the outlet can only be moved to or from the storage position by operation of the release mechanism.  
     
     
         3 . A cleaning head according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the linkage comprises a force-transmitting coupling between the housing and the outlet and a flexible hose for carrying fluid flow between the housing and the outlet.  
     
     
         4 . A cleaning head according to  claim 3 , wherein the force-transmitting coupling comprises a pair of arms, one arm lying on each side of the flexible hose.  
     
     
         5 . A cleaning head according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the linkage comprises a hollow duct for carrying fluid flow between the housing and the outlet.  
     
     
         6 . A cleaning head according to  claim 5 , wherein the linkage comprises a barrel connection between the housing and the outlet, the rotational axis of the connection lying substantially parallel to the plane of the floor engaging face.  
     
     
         7 . A cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprising a main body, a wand assembly configured to carry fluid to or from the main body, a retainer retaining the wand on the main body in a position in which a substantial part of the wand lies alongside the main body and a cleaning head according to claims  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the cleaning head, when in a storage position, is able to remain connected to the wand and lies alongside the main body of the cleaning appliance.  
     
     
         8 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 7 , wherein the wand assembly comprises a plurality of telescopically connected tubes which can be moved between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, and wherein a substantial part of the length of the wand, in the retracted configuration, lies alongside the main body.  
     
     
         9 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 8 , wherein substantially all of the wand, in the retracted configuration, lies alongside the main body.  
     
     
         10 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 7 , wherein the retainer retains the wand on an upper surface of the main body.  
     
     
         11 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein the retainer retains the wand in a position generally along the longitudinal axis of the main body and the cleaning head, in its storage position, lies alongside the front or rear of the main body of the cleaning appliance.  
     
     
         12 . A vacuum cleaner comprising the cleaning appliance according to  claim 7 .  
     
     
         13 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         14 . A cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprising a main body, a wand assembly configured to carry fluid to or from the main body, a retainer retaining the wand on the main body in a position in which a substantial part of the wand lies alongside the main body and a cleaning head according to  claim 3 , wherein the cleaning head, when in a storage position, is able to remain connected to the wand and lies alongside the main body of the cleaning appliance.  
     
     
         15 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 14 , wherein the wand assembly comprises a plurality of telescopically connected tubes which can be moved between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, and wherein a substantial part of the length of the wand, in the retracted configuration, lies alongside the main body.  
     
     
         16 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 15 , wherein substantially all of the wand, in the retracted configuration, lies alongside the main body.  
     
     
         17 . A cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprising a main body, a wand assembly configured to carry fluid to or from the main body, a retainer retaining the wand on the main body in a position in which a substantial part of the wand lies alongside the main body and a cleaning head according to  claim 5 , wherein the cleaning head, when in a storage position, is able to remain connected to the wand and lies alongside the main body of the cleaning appliance.  
     
     
         18 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 17 , wherein the wand assembly comprises a plurality of telescopically connected tubes which can be moved between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, and wherein a substantial part of the length of the wand, in the retracted configuration, lies alongside the main body.  
     
     
         19 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 18 , wherein substantially all of the wand, in the retracted configuration, lies alongside the main body.